Piano dollies are well known in the art and are used to move pianos to and from the place of use, such as the stage of an auditorium, opera house or the like. Known dollies include those which can be used to support and move grand pianos, having three legs. Dollies of this type, which are sometimes referred to as “spider dollies”, typically have a central hub formed from two vertically spaced plates, and three legs extending radially outwardly from between the plates. Each leg is pivotally mounted at its inner end to the central hub so that each leg may be rotated relative to the hub to accommodate pianos of different shapes. To provide further adjustability, each of the three legs of known spider dollies are typically adjustable in length.
The distal ends of the legs of known spider dollies typically terminate in a Z-shaped member. A relatively large swiveling-type caster is mounted under the high, horizontally extending portion of each Z-shaped member while the lower, horizontally extending portion of each Z-shaped member carries a cup for accepting a caster mounted to one of the piano legs. In this manner, it is only necessary to lift the piano a relatively small vertical distance to position it on the dolly, but the dolly can still utilize relatively large casters to facilitate moving heavy pianos.
While spider dollies have been advantageously used for many years, they are subject to some disadvantages. For example, the design of a typical spider dolly does not lend itself to pre-assembly before shipping. Instead, a spider dolly is usually assembled at the location of use so that the central hub can be positioned under the piano, followed by rotation of each leg relative to the hub and adjustment of the length of each leg to accommodate the size and shape of the particular piano. These angular and length adjustments are very difficult to make in advance.
Additionally, grand pianos typically have a pedal lyre that extends below the main body of the piano toward the floor the piano rests on, in addition to the three support legs. For smaller pianos of this type, the location of the pedal lyre can preclude the use of a spider dolly due to interference between the lyre and the central hub of the dolly.
Another disadvantage with spider dollies is that they are sometimes considered to be somewhat unsightly and can detract from the aesthetic beauty of the piano. This can be particularly problematic in some circumstances. For instance, if a piano will be used for one or more acts of an opera or play, but not throughout the entire performance, the piano may remain mounted on the dolly during the performance so it can be quickly removed from the stage between acts. In instances such as this, the unattractive visual appearance of a spider dolly is undesirable.
Additionally, the central hub and number of component parts are heavier and more costly, both with regard to part cost and shipping cost, than the simpler design provided by the dolly of the present invention.
In view of the foregoing, there is a continuing need for an improved dolly for moving a piano.